Decking device



C. L. SNYDER DEEJKING DEVICE June 30, 1931.

4 Sheets-Shee 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1950- award; LE

June 30,1931. c. SNYDER DECKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Shee 2 WIJZIIIIIIM III- B: IE

C. L. SNYDER June 3O, 1931 DECKING DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1930 4 Sheets-Shee 4 Patented June 30, 1931 UNITED STATES CLIFFORD L. SNYDER,

OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO EVANS PRODUCTS COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE DEGKING DEVICE Application filed August 4, 1930. Serial No. 472,917.

r This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in decking devices and has particular reference to the vsupporting or decking structure for a motor vehicle during shipment thereof,-the decking devices being associated with the side walls of a freight car or the like, with the motor vehicle supported by its axle end on the decking devices, this invention being of the general character n set forth in application filed by Clifford L.

Snyder, on October 22, 1929, Serial Number -401,583 and embodies improvements thereover.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a head block carried by wall andfloor attached bracing arms or members wherein the head is formed of sections embodying a cushioning element while the wall attached arms or members are of a resilient character for the purpose of absorbing shocks and jars incident to travel and to lessen liabilityof damage to the motor vehicle supported in the decking device.

A furtherobj ect of the invention is to pro- 2 vide a decking device of the foregoing type wherein several parts thereof may be formed from inexpensive materials in the form of castings, one such materialbeingaluminum alloy, it being found preferable to provide a .30 nut of iron or steel forthreaded engagement with an axle end orwheel hub with the nut interlockinglyengaged with the head of the ejecting device for the purpose of eliminating injury to the axle end or wheel hub.

It is also the purpose of this invention to reuse the decking device as the same is capable of being easily collapsed and folded for transportation for'further use.

It is a further object of'the invention to rprovide decking devices of the foregoing character wherein a head or block for supporting a wheel hub or the like is mounted upon a decking structure comprising a floor anchored leg and wall anchored arm with cushioning or shock absorbing devices assof ciated with the head and arms, or with either of said elements alone, the invention possessing advantages by the inward and downward 5 compression of the wall attached arms totaining'pinson the supporting head;

ward the head or block to oii'er greater resistance to upward thrust of the load.

A still further object of the invention is to 7 provide a decking device comprised of a cushion head made of stamped or drawn metal combined with inexpensive wooden braces with shock absorbing elements associated with the head, this form of the device being of an inexpensive character which may, if desired, after a single use, be discarded, although the parts thereof may be easily separated for re-use if desired, 7

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a decking device constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the floor supportmg legs and the wall supportingarms carrying a head block in which a vehicle wheel hub is supported; r I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational VIEW;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the decking device in front elevation;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the decking device in collapsed form;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the supporting head for the wheel hub;

v view of the head showing the elastic cushioning or shock absorbing member between nested sections of the head; 1 v

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the nut disengaged from the head and employed for attachment to the wheel huh; I

Figure 9 is an edge elevational view of the nut shown in Figure 8; r Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Figure 9, showing the groove at the edge of the nut to receive re- Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the head;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the wall attached arms for supporting the head;

Figure 12 is a longitudinal sectional View of the wall attached arms illustrating the resilient character thereof;

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 1313 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing another form of decking device wherein the head is stamped or drawn from sheet metal, the floor anchored legs and wall attached arms are of wood and attached to straps carried by the head;

Figure 15 is a side elevational view;

Figure 16 is a top plan view;

Figure 17 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 1717 of Figure 14, showing the shock absorbing cushion insert in the head;

Figure 18 is a detail cross sectional view taken on line 18-18 of Figure 15;

Figure 19 is a front elevational view, partly broken away and shown in section of the wheel hub attaching socket associated with the head.

Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 18 showing the metal straps for attachment to the wall braces and floor leg at each side of the head formed of a single stamping having an intermediate connecting portion secured to the head;

Figure 21 is a fragmentary perspective view of another form of the invention illustrating a decking device with a shock absorbing element in the head thereof;

Figure 22 is a perspective view of the shock absorbing element shown in Figure 21 and illustrating the metallic straps for anchoring the same in the deck head;

Figure 23 is a perspective view showing the shipping hub cap assembled in a shock absorbing element which is in the form of a rubber cup; and

Figure 24 is a longitudinal sectional view of the assembled shipping hub cap and shock absorbing element.

The reference character 15 designates a supporting head for an axle end or wheel hub and is disposed in an elevated position for the decking of a motor vehicle. The head 15 is supported by a floor attached leg 16 and wall attached arms 17 as shown in Figures 1 to 3. lVhile an axle may be supported at its end in the head block 15, the invention herein illustrated is adapted for the support of the hub of the wheel 18, the threaded portion of which hub is engaged with a threaded portion of the hem The leg 16 is mounted at its lower end in a socket member 19 anchored to the floor while the outer end of the arms 17 that are upwardly and outwardly directed relative to the head 15 ar detach ably engaged with wall attached anchor plates 21 attached to the wall 29 the anchor plates 21 being provided with a plurality of edge openings 21a to accommodate adjustment of the adjacent ends of the arms 17 when it is desired to vary the angu larity thereof relative to the head 15.

The detail construction of the head 15 is shown in Figures 5 to 10, the head comprising a pair of nested cone-shaped members 23 and 24 open at their larger ends with the closed ends 23a and 24a spaced from each other and connected by bolts or rivets 25 including elastic washers 26. An elastic band 27 of frustoconical formation is disposed between the nested members 23 and 24 permitting limited relative movement between these members and employed for the absorption of shocks or jaws which fail in transmission to the vehicle supported in the decking device. The outer end of the inner nested member 23 is annularly enlarged as at 28 and the inner face of the enlargement has adjacent angle features providing a polygonal formation as indicated at 29 and shown more clearly in Figure 5. Polygonal nuts 30 shown in Figures 8 to 10 are adapted to be disposed in the annular enlargement 28 and prevented from rotation by the similarly formed socket 29 in the enlargement, the edge of the nut 30 being grooved as at 31 and through which grooves, side pins 32 extend as will at once be obvious from an inspection of Figures 5 and 7 the pins 32 extending through opposite sides of the enlargement 28 and forming an interlocking connection between the inner member 23 of the heads 15 and the nuts 30. A stud member 33 depends from the lower side of the outer member 24 of the head for mounting in the upper end of the leg 16, while apertured lugs 34 pivoted upon opposite sides of the member 24 as at 34a have pivotal engage ment with spaced apertured lugs 35 upon opposite ends of the wall attached arms 17.

Figures 11 to 13 show the detail construction of the wall attached arms 17, the arms 17 being of tubular formation and having a plug 36 anchored in one end thereof carrying the projected attaching lugs 35. A plug 37 is slidably mounted in the other end of the arm 17, the inner end of the plug 37 carrying a rod 38 freely slidable through a block 39 provided with a central opening 40 for the passage of the rod 38, the block 39 being anchored in the arm 17 by the cross-pins 41. The extended end of the rod 38 is threaded for the reception of a nut 42 against which a stop washer 43 rests, a coil spring 44 surrounding the rod 38 between the block 39 and sto 3 washer 43 for tensioning sliding movement of the plug 37 in an outward direction. A disk plate 45 is fixed to the rod 38 between the plug 37 and block 39 and a coil spring 46 surrounds the rod between the disk 45 and block 39 for tensioning the plug 37 during its inward sliding movement relative to the arm 17. It will therefore be seen that movements of the rod 38 and plug 37 is tensioned in opposite directions and in lieu of the coil springs 44 and 46', cushion blocks may be employed,

and operation thereof will at once be ap parent, it being understood that the parts oi the decking device may be constructed oi inexpensive material, metallic castings or the like, but it is preferable to form the nuts 30,

shown in Figures 8 to 10 of hardened metal such as iron or steel so that when the same is threaded upon an axle end or wheel hub, the threads oi said part will not be mutilated. The nut 80 is first mounted upon the wheel hub and is then positioned in the enlargement. 28 01? the head 15 and there retained by the pin 32 passing through the edge grooves 31. of the nut 30 to form an interlocking con-- nection betw'een'the nut and head. The elastic band 27 interposed between the nested sections 23 and 24 of the head, absorbs lateral shock and permits limited movement of the nested member 23 relative to the member 24, while the resiliently mounted plugs 37 in the arms 17 permit limited movements of the head 15 as a unit and act to absorb shocks and jars incident to travelso that liability of injury to a motor vehicle being transported by the decking device is greatly minimized,

The decking device embodies shock absorbing features in the supporting head thereof and in the wall attaching arm and by such construction, injury to the parts of the deck-- ing device is also greatly reduced.

The'decking device illustrated in Figures 1 to 13, is all metal construction, while the decking device shown in Figures'14 to 19 'is of a combination of metal and wood, the

head or block being formed of stamped or drawn sheet metal, while the floor anchored leg and wall attached arms are of wood, thereby providing an inexpensive construction,

"that may be discarded after a single use if desired; The sheet metal head. as shown in Figures 17 and 18 comprises inner and outer nested conical sections 47 and 48 having walls 47a and 4860 at the smaller endsthereof respectivelysecured together by a rivet 49 or the i like which includes an'elastic washer 50.

i The larger end of the inner conical section 47 is enlarged to provide a flange 51 of polygonal formatlon as shown 1n V Figure 14,

while the larger end ofthe outer section 48 'j is annularly flanged as at 52 to limit telescopupper side of the outer section 48 for the attachment of wooden wall attached brace. arms 55, while a pair of straps 56 depending ing movement of the two conical sections 47 from the lower sideiot the outer section 48 in spaced relation are adapted for attachment to a floor anchored wooden leg 57 The nut 58 shown in detail in Figure 19' is constructed of harder material, such as iron or steel and has 1 an edge groove 59 through which ends are adapted to pass, similar to the pins 82 for locking the nut 58 in the polygonal flange 51,

the anchor pins passing through openings 51a. absorbing element is alone associated with the head to which the vehicle axle or wheel hub is directly attached and such incident travel absorbed by the head without being transmitted to the vehicle.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 20, the construction is modified from that shown in Figures 14 to 19 by the construction of the metallic straps for attachment to the wall braces and supporting leg. The wall brace attaching strap 54a and the leg attaching strap 56a at each side of the head that comprises the inner and outer sections 47 and 48 include intermediate connecting parts 60 of arcuate formation that are engaged with the adjacent side of the outer section 48 of the head and anchored thereto as at 61 by rivets or other connecting means, the other elements of the head construction being the same as disclosed in Figures 14 to 19.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 21 to 24, there is illustrated a decking structure embodying supporting legs In this form of the invention, the shock' 7 ends connected by a head block 63, the upper ends of the legs 62 and head 63 being socketed as at 64 to form a seat for the support of the hub end of a vehicle wheel during shipment. A shock absorbing element for sup-- porting the wheel hub is mounted in the seat 64 and includes a metallic shipping hub cap 65 having an internally threaded end 66 to be engaged with the hub of the wheel 67, the metallic cap 65 being seated in the elastic cup-shaped shock absorbing element 68 as il-- lustrated. The assembled shipping cap and shock absorbing element are confined in the seat64 of the deck head by the straps 69 and 70 having their ends 69a and 7 0a respectively attached to the deck head, the strap 69 preventing horizontal movement of the shock absorbing element while upward movement of the latter is prevented by the strap 70.

The several forms of the invention hereindisclosed are generic to the idea of providing a cushioning or shock absorbing element in the' head of a decking device, both in all metal constructions and in devices comprising VVhile there are herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein with out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim 1. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a floor brace, a pair oi wall braces and a head to which the braces are attached, said wall braces and head embodying shock absorbing elements.

2. A decking device for motor vehicles, comprising a head and anchor members, said head being formed of sections and a cushioning element interposed between the sections.

3. A decking device for motor vehicles, comprising a head and anchor members, said head being formed of sections a cushioning element interposed between the sections, and some of the anchor members embodying resilience in the lengthwise movement thereof.

4;. A decking device for motor vehicles, comprising a head and anchor members said head being formed of sections, a cushioning element interposed between the sections, and some of the anchor members being formed of relatively movable sections having devices resiliently to resist such movements.

5. A decking device for motor vehicles comprisin a head formed of nested conical sections, and a cushion shock absorbing element interposed between the sections.

6. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head formed of nested conical sections, connected together at their smaller ends, and a conical elastic shock absorbing band interposed between the sections.

7. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head formed of nested conical sections, and a cushion shock absorbing element interposed between the sections, a floor anchored leg depending from the head and wall attached shock absorbing arms con nected to the head.

8. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head formed of nested conical sections, connected together at their smaller ends, and a conical elastic shock absorbing band interposed between the sections, a floor anchored leg depending from the head and wall attached shock absorbing arms connected to the head.

9. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head, a floor anchored leg and wall attached arms extending upwardly and outwardly from the head and including cash ioning means to resist upward movement of the head and load carried thereby.

10. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head, and wall attached arms extending upwardly and outwardly from the head to resist upward movement of the head and load carried thereby, and said arms including tensioned elements to absorb shocks before transmission to the head.

11. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a. head, a floor anchored leg and wall attached arms extending upwardly and outwardly from the head to resist upward movement of the head and load carried thereby, said arms including tensioned elements to absorb shocks before transmission to the head, and said head including a shock absorbing element effective in a direction of movement at an angle to the movement of the tensioned elements of the arms.

12. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head, a floor anchored leg and wall attached arms, and said head including a vehicle attaching member having side grooves and pins carried by the head interlockingly engaged in the grooves to hold the member in the head.

13. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head, a vehicle attaching mem ber removably mounted in the head and a shock absorbing element in the head.

14. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a head, a floor anchored leg and wall attached arms, a vehicle attaching member removably mounted in the head, a shock absorbing element in the head, and shock absorbing elements in the wall attached arms.

15. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising an all metal construction including a head, a floor anchored leg and wall attached arms, and a shock absorbing element in the head.

16. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a sheet metal head and wooden wall attached arms, a floor anchored leg, and a shock absorbing element in the head.

17. The combination with the head of a decking structure for the shipment of motor vehicles, of a shock absorbing element re movably supported in the head of the decking structure.

18. The combination with the head of a shipping deck, of a shock absorbing element interposed between the head and supported part of a vehicle.

19. In a decking device of the character described, a decking structure for the support of a vehicle, and a shock absorbing element carried by the decking structure and directly associated with the supported part of the vehicle.

20. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a deck head and a shock absorbing element in the head.

21. A decking device for motor vehicles comprising a deck head and a cup-shaped 1 shock absorbing element set in the head for the support of a wheel hub.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLIFFORD L. SNYDER. 

